Orange sends charter-city proposal to November ballot

Orange voters will decide in November whether to make the city a charter city after the City Council voted 4-3 Tuesday to place the proposal on the ballot, according to Voice of OC.

The measure could give Orange more local authority over planning, zoning and other municipal powers as the city faces a structural budget deficit and a reported $30 million debt. It also adds another Orange County test of local control amid disputes over state housing mandates.

Voice of OC reported that Councilmember Kathy Tavoularis spearheaded the charter proposal, which would make Orange a charter city rather than a general-law city if voters approve it in November. The measure would serve as a local constitution and put Orange among California’s 121 charter cities.

The council also approved charter wording on council term limits in a separate 4-3 vote. The language would set limits at three four-year terms, according to Voice of OC.

Tavoularis linked the proposal to the city’s fiscal pressures. “We were told one day, ‘Guess what? You’re $30 million in debt,’ and that started at the beginning of all of our terms. And it’s a cold slap in the face,” Councilmember Kathy Tavoularis said at the meeting, according to Voice of OC.

Councilmember John Gyllenhammer raised concerns about whether the charter language was ready for voters. “I fear that if we pass this tonight, we might be missing quite a bit in terms of the depth and detail of what I see as comparable charters out there,” Gyllenhammer said at the meeting, according to Voice of OC.

Residents also split over the proposal. “We in Orange know better what is good for us than broader state politicians. We would practice local control better and our needs would be better served as a result,” public commenter Betty Talbert said, according to Voice of OC.

Resident Mary Oberschlake warned about local government overreach. “The implications of what could happen if you were to go forward with the charter city with a mindset like that, with officials that could get elected – it’s very frightening,” Oberschlake said, according to Voice of OC.

The charter measure will share the November ballot with Orange’s proposed 1% local sales tax increase, giving voters two major decisions on the city’s governing and fiscal future.